Chemically heated hot emitter generator system

ABSTRACT

The technical field includes machine, manufacture, process, and product produced thereby, as well as necessary intermediates, which pertain to power sources, units thereof, computer systems used to facilitate operation of one or more power sources.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The technical field includes machine, manufacture, process, and productproduced thereby, as well as necessary intermediates, which pertain topower sources, units thereof, computer systems used to facilitateoperation of one or more power sources.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a more complete understanding, reference is made to the followingdescription and accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an illustration of an embodiment of a computer system;

FIG. 2 is an illustration of an embodiment of a chemically heated hotemitter generator of electromagnetic emissions;

FIG. 3 is an illustration of an embodiment of a chemically heated hotemitter generator of electromagnetic emissions;

FIG. 4 is an illustration of an embodiment of generator management;

FIG. 5 is an illustration of an embodiment showing some possibleoperating conditions;

FIG. 6 is an illustration of an embodiment showing some possibleoperating parameters;

FIG. 7 is an illustration of an embodiment showing conversion of ananalog measurement to a digital measurement;

FIG. 8 is an illustration of an embodiment showing conversion of ananalog intensity measurement;

FIG. 9 is an illustration of an embodiment showing conversion andprocessing of an analog intensity measurement;

FIG. 10 is an illustration of an embodiment showing execution of acontrol signal to adjust operating conditions, with optional feedback,history collection and processing;

FIG. 11 is an illustration of an embodiment showing production of acontrol signal from a load indication;

FIG. 12 is an illustration of an embodiment showing a plurality ofcooperating devices;

FIG. 13 is an illustration of an embodiment showing comparisonalgorithms being used to set warning indicators;

FIG. 14 is an illustration of an embodiment showing examples offinancial data and financial terms; and

FIG. 15 is an illustration of an embodiment showing examples offinancial payments.

MODES

A chemically heated hot emitter generator is a generator of electricity.The generator is comprised of a hot or heated emitter (heated by a flameand/or other exothemic chemical reaction) and one or more photovoltaiccells that convert emitted electromagnetic radiation into electricpower, non-limiting examples are disclosed in U.S. patent applications60/833,335; 60/900,866; 11/828,311; 12/375,176; and Ser. No. 13/595,062as well as PCT application PCT/US2007/074446; all of which areincorporated by reference as if fully restated herein.

Chemically heated hot emitter generators enable distributed electricpower generation, e.g. where generators are located at individualbuildings, groups of buildings, and/or neighborhoods instead ofcentralized at a power plant. The distributed structures disclosedherein eliminate losses due to the transmission of the electric powerfrom the centralized power plant to the individual buildings, groups ofbuildings, or neighborhoods, and can, depending upon the embodiment, bemore efficient and more robust than generating power at a centralizedpower plant. Also, if the local generation capacity is sufficient tomeet all the local power needs, this distributed structure reduces oreliminates the potential for large-area blackouts due to the centralizedpower plant going offline or the loss of the transmission lines betweenthe centralized power plant and the individual buildings, groups ofbuildings, or neighborhoods.

Producing electric power using a plurality of chemically heated hotemitter generators located close to their electric power consumer(s)and/or customer(s) has a number of functions that are unique inconnection with forming a new industry, compared to conventionalelectric power generation, and such functions can be addressed byembodiments discussed hereafter.

FIG. 1 illustrates a computer system [2], such as an IBM™, HewlettPackard™, or other computer with input and output devices, but a systemcan have any or all of the components depending on the embodiment atissue. Computer [2] can have one or more Processors [3] (e.g., an Intel™or AMD™ series processor or the like), a memory [6] (e.g., a hard drive,disk drive, ROM, etc.), computer readable medium [7], input devices [4](e.g., keyboard, mouse, modem [5B], or the like), and one or more outputdevices [5] (e.g., a Hewlett Packard™ printer [5], a Dell™ monitor [5A],a modem [5B], or other such output device). Note that the modem [5B] isrepresentative of a computer-to-computer communication device that canoperate as an IO [9] (input-output) device. In some embodiments thecomputer system [2] can be comprised of an embedded processor [3] suchas a Cypress PSoC 5™. In other embodiments the computer system [2] canbe comprised of a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) or other hardwarewhere algorithm logic is hard-wired rather than stored in memory.

Depending on the embodiment desired, the computer system [2] cancommunicate with one or more other computers, illustrated in FIG. 1 as abox, but understood to comprise one or more computers which can becommunicatively associated or linked, e.g. as networked computer [8],which can, but need not, be an equivalent computer or computer systemwith respect to computer or computer system [2].

The computer system [2] can, also depending on the embodiment preferredfor a given application, be in communication with equipment, or device[11], which is shown illustratively as a box device [11] in FIG. 1 so asto indicate that equipment or device [11] can be one or more devices[11]. For example, device [11] can comprise one or more chemicallyheated hot emitter generators. This communication can include input [9A]from the device [11] and output [9B] to the device [11].

FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 show an example of a chemically heated hot emittergenerator of electromagnetic emissions that may be used in embodimentsof a device [11]. The chemical heating is from an exothermic chemicalreaction which, depending upon the embodiment, could involve a flame, aplasma, etc. In this embodiment, input air [12] is pushed into an airsplitter [14] by an input fan [13] (by fan we mean fan, blower, pump, orother means for moving material) where it is split by an air splitter[14] into air without fuel [16] and air with fuel [17], with theproportion of each determined by a flow adjuster [15]. Note that inputair [12] is not restricted to atmospheric air; in some embodiments it isenriched in oxygen, it may be pure oxygen or some other mixture orchemical formulation, and in some embodiments the chemical reactant isnot oxygen. In some embodiments, the input air [12] and/or the inputfuel [18] are not gases. The air with fuel [17] is mixed with input fuel[18] in a manifold [19] to make an air/fuel mixture [20]. Both the airwithout fuel [16] and the air/fuel mixture [20] are heated in a heatexchanger [21] before they are mixed in a mixer [22]. This combustioninput [23] enters a combustion chamber [24] wherein it reacts and heatsthe hot emitting surface [25]. This emitting surface [25] emitselectromagnetic emissions [27], in some embodiments through an oxygendepleted region [26] which is comprised of a vacuum, air/fuel mixture[20], exhaust gases [35], or some other oxygen depleted gas, dependingupon the embodiment. In some embodiments the electromagnetic emissions[27] pass through an optical filter [28] which can, but need not, returnsome reflected emissions [29] to the emitting surface [25] and passingselected transmitted emissions [30] to the photovoltaic elements [31]which produce output power [32]. In some embodiments the optical filter[28] and/or the photovoltaic elements [31] are cooled and the heat canbe, but need not be, returned to the input air [12], air without fuel[16], and/or the air/fuel mixture [20]. The exhaust gasses withpollutants [34] from the combustion chamber [24] and the emittingsurface [25] may enter a catalytic converter [37] where some pollutantsare removed. Heat is also removed by one or more heat exchangers [21]used to heat the air without fuel [16] and the air/fuel mixture [20]. Insome embodiments, part of the exhaust gases [35] are recirculatedexhaust gas [38] to the air without fuel [16], the air/fuel mixture[20], or both. In some embodiments, additional air [39] is supplied tothe catalytic converter [37]. After the catalytic converter [37], theexhaust gases [35] are removed by an exhaust fan [36]. The combustionprocesses and operation of the device [11] may be monitored by one ormore sensors (e.g. an oxygen sensor [42], a temperature gauge [41], asoot sensor [40], and/or a hydrocarbon sensor [43]) and is controlledusing control circuits [44]. Some embodiments have additional sensors,including multiple sensors of the same type.

A heat exchanger [21] can be configured to employ the heat from theexhaust gases [35] to produce a temperature gradient that can beemployed in heating an oxygen sensor [42]. Temperatures in the exhaustgases [35] of device [11] can be so high that in some embodiments, e.g.,the oxygen sensor [42] is located adjacent to the hot end of a heatexchanger [21], the device [11] is entirely devoid of electricalpowering of the oxygen sensor [42] that would otherwise beconventionally required to maintain the oxygen sensor [42] atoperational temperatures. In other embodiments, the oxygen sensor [42]can be spaced in between the hot end and the cold end of a heatexchanger [21], where the temperature is less than the oxygen sensor's[42] operating temperature, but above the temperature of the exhaust,thereby influencing the power required for operation of the oxygensensor [42] and thereby controlling and influencing the extent of poweroutput by the device [11]. Therefore, embodiments of the invention mayuse an oxygen sensor [42] positioned such that it receives heat from theexhaust gases [35] to reach operational temperature. The oxygen sensor[42] may receive sufficient heat such that a reduced amount of externalpower is required to reach operational temperatures. In some embodimentsthe oxygen sensor [42] can be placed such that it reaches operationaltemperature without requiring external power to be supplied.

FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of a device [11] managed by a computer system[2]. The computer system [2] can communicate with one or more devices[11] which may, but need not in all cases depending upon the embodiment,be the one or more chemically heated hot emitter generators such as theexample shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3. These devices [11] can report theiroperating conditions [51] and generator status [53] which may, but neednot, include fault handling [57]. The computer system [2] can sendgenerator control [55] signals to change operating parameters [52] whichmay, but need not, include fault handling [57] responses and adjustmentsto match the generator power delivered [56] to the local load demand[54]. Note that in some embodiments the computer system [2] may becomprised of a micro controller located in or adjacent to the chemicallyheated hot emitter generator to carry out some or all of thesefunctions.

FIG. 4, and that identified therein, illustrates a system [0], whichcomprises a means for receiving digital data representing a chemicallyheated hot emitter generator of electromagnetic emissions, andprocessing the digital data representing the chemically heated hotemitter generator of electromagnetic emissions. The thin dashed lines inFIG. 4 encompassing financial system [1] and the thick dotted linesencompassing control system [10] illustrate that in some, but not all,embodiments there can be a “means for” that includes generator financialdata [58] and/or generator financial term [59], and computer system [2];or a “means for” that includes generator status [50] and Load Matching,and any or all of items [51]-[59] and computer system [2]; and system[0] comprises both.

In the embodiments of FIG. 4, with respect to this “means for”illustrating computer system [2] may, or may not, depending on theparticular configuration desired, comprise the same computer or aseparate computer.

FIG. 5 shows an embodiment with more details about operating conditions[51] of a chemically heated hot emitter generator. As non-limitingexamples, the computer system [2] can receive measurements relating toone or more of electromagnetic emissions [100], temperatures [101], fuel[102], air [103], exhaust [104], fans [105], pumps [106], coolant [108],and electrical output [107].

Some examples of operating conditions [51] related to electromagneticemissions [100] include intensity [109] and spectrum [110]. Both theintensity [109] and the spectrum [110] are related to the emittertemperature [111]. Depending upon the emitter material, the spectrum[110] can be close to a black body spectrum, or emission at somewavelengths could be suppressed while other wavelengths can be enhanced.The shape of the spectrum [110] can change in time as the composition ofthe emitter changes, as may occur as the emitter deteriorates. Thereforemonitoring of the spectrum [110] in some embodiments is a diagnostictool capable of indicating when maintenance is required, for example byreplacing the emitter. Similarly, the intensity [109] of theelectromagnetic emissions is a strong function of emitter temperature[111]. In some embodiments, the intensity [109] is monitored through awindow or filter that can deteriorate, and a reduced intensity [109] fora given emitter temperature [111] is an indication that maintenance isrequired.

Some examples of temperatures [101] include emitter temperature [111],exhaust temperature [113], input fuel temperature [114], and input airtemperature [115], and coolant temperature [112]. For a properlyoperating device [11], there is a clear correlation between some ofthese temperatures [101]. For example, in some embodiments thedifference between input air temperature [115] and exhaust temperature[113] is an indication of whether the device [11] is in the process ofwarming up or is in equilibrium. This information can be used, dependingupon the embodiment, by the control algorithm [151] to adjust the inputair flow [119] and input fuel flow [117], for example, for optimumoperation. The emitter temperature [111] is related to the spectrum[110] and the intensity [109], and the intensity [109] is related to themaximum output current [132]. Therefore in some embodiments the controlalgorithm [151] will control signals [152] to change the emittertemperature [111] by changing, for example, a fan current [128] and apump current [130] to change the input air temperature [115] and theinput fuel flow [117], in order to match the generator power delivered[56] to the load [160].

Some examples of fuel [102] operating conditions [51], one or more ofwhich may, but need not, be used in an embodiment, include input fuelflow [117], fuel energy content [116], and input fuel temperature [114].Some embodiments can use multiple fuels or change from one fuel toanother (e.g. natural gas for hydrogen), and some embodiments use fuelswith varying composition, so in some embodiments an important operatingcondition [51] is the fuel energy content [116]. The control algorithm[151] in some embodiments adjusts the input fuel flow [117] based uponthe fuel energy content [116] measurement to maintain the desiredemitter temperature [111].

Some examples of air [103] operating conditions [51], one or more ofwhich may, but need not, be used in an embodiment, include input airflow [119], input air temperature [115], input air pressure [118], andinput air humidity [120]. In some embodiments the control algorithm[151] adjusts the input air flow [119] based upon the input airtemperature [115] and input air pressure [118] in order to make adesired match (e.g. stochiometric, rich, or lean) with the fuel basedupon the input fuel flow [117] and the input fuel temperature [114].

Some examples of exhaust [104] operating conditions [51], one or more ofwhich may, but need not, be used in an embodiment, include exhausttemperature [113], exhaust oxygen content [121], exhaust NOX content[122], exhaust CO content [123], exhaust hydrocarbon content [124], andexhaust soot content [125]. Monitoring the exhaust [104] operatingconditions [51] allows the control algorithm [151] to use feedback [153]to adjust the input air flow [119] and input fuel flow [117] to maintainthe desired stochiometric mixture. If the mixture is lean, the exhaustoxygen content [121] may be high. If the mixture is rich, exhaust COcontent [123] and/or exhaust hydrocarbon content [124] may be high.Detection of excess levels of exhaust NOX content [122] or exhaust sootcontent [125] could be an indication of a fault condition or in someembodiments an indication that an adjustment is needed in the exhaustrecirculation of air injection before the catalytic converter. Someembodiments measure exhaust temperature [113], exhaust oxygen content[121], exhaust NOX content [122], exhaust CO content [123], exhausthydrocarbon content [124], and/or exhaust soot content [125] both beforeand after a catalytic converter. In some embodiments the controlalgorithm [151] uses these measurements in a feedback [153] loop tocontrol the operation of the catalytic converter.

Some examples of fans [105] operating conditions [51], one or more ofwhich may, but need not, be used in an embodiment, include fan speed[126], fan current [128], and fan voltage [127]. Some embodiments havemultiple fans that are adjusted independently by the control algorithm[151]. For example, some embodiments have multiple fans on the input inorder to adjust the fuel-to-air ratio in different parts of the device[11]. Some embodiments have fans on both the input and on the exhaust.Some embodiments have fans for exhaust recirculation. Some embodimentshave fans for injecting air before the catalytic converter. Someembodiments have fans to move a gaseous coolant, which can be but neednot be air. Deviations of the correlations between fan speed [126], fancurrent [128], fan voltage [127], and input air flow [119] or coolantflow [135] from normal operating conditions [163] in some embodiments isan indication of a fault condition.

Some examples of pumps [106] operating conditions [51], one or more ofwhich may, but need not, be used in an embodiment, include pump speed[129], pump current [130], and pump voltage [131]. Some embodiments havemultiple pumps that are adjusted independently by the control algorithm[151]. In some embodiments, pumps are used to supply liquid fuel. Insome embodiments, pumps are used to move liquid coolant. Deviations ofthe correlations between pump speed [129], pump current [130], pumpvoltage [131]. and input fuel flow [117] or coolant flow [135] fromnormal operating conditions [163] in some embodiments is an indicationof a fault condition.

Some examples of coolant [108] operating conditions [51], one or more ofwhich may, but need not, be used in an embodiment, include coolant flow[135] and coolant temperature [112]. The control algorithm [151] in someembodiments detects fault conditions if the coolant flow [135] is toolow or if the coolant temperature [112] is either too high or too low,or if the rate of change of coolant temperature is too fast or too slow.

Some examples of electrical output [107] operating conditions [51]include output voltage [133], output current [132], and, for embodimentswhere the output is not direct current, output power factor [134], whichcan account, for example, for a phase difference between the voltage andthe current for AC output.

Note that some operating conditions [51] fall into multiple categories,for example the input air temperature [115] falls into the categories oftemperatures [101] and air [103]. Also, some operating conditions [51]do not fit into any of the existing categories. Both the listedcategories [100]-[108] and the listed operating conditions [51] areintended to teach examples and are not intended to be complete lists.

Related to the operating conditions [51] are the operating parameters[52] used for generator control [55]. An embodiment of some operatingparameters [52] are shown in FIG. 6. Many of the categories of operatingparameters [52] correspond to categories of operating conditions [51]:fuel [102], air [103], exhaust [104], fans [105], pumps [106], coolant[108], and electrical output [107]. These operating parameters [52] arecontrolled by the computer system [2] producing control signals [152]comprised of instructions that, when executed, result in changes to oneor more operating parameters [52]. In some embodiments the controlsignal [152] is comprised of a change in a digital value sent to adigital-to-analog converter (DAC), changing a control voltage orcurrent. In some embodiments the control signal [152] results in a valveopening or closing. Such an embodiment controls the fuel source [136],which in some embodiments is a different fuel with a different fuelenergy content [116]. The valve in some embodiments is digital (open orclosed), and in other embodiments the valve is analog, so for examplethe input fuel flow [117] can be adjusted by the control algorithm[151].

Some examples of air [103] and exhaust [104] operating parameters [52]include input air flow [119], air mixture [137], exhaust air [138], andrecirculation [139]. The total input air flow [119] is adjusted alongwith the input fuel flow [117] to change the emitter temperature [111]and to maintain the desired stochiometric mixture, which in someembodiments is monitored by the exhaust oxygen content [121], exhaust COcontent [123], and/or exhaust hydrocarbon content [124]. The air can bemixed with the fuel at different places in the device [11], and theratio of air mixed at different locations, the air mixture [137], isadjusted in some embodiments. Similarly, some air is mixed with theexhaust in some embodiments with catalytic converters, and the amount ofthis exhaust air [138] is adjustable in some embodiments. Similarly,some embodiments have recirculation [139] which is adjustable. Someembodiments use feedback [153] on the exhaust oxygen content [121],exhaust CO content [123], and/or exhaust hydrocarbon content [124],measured before and/or after the catalytic converter, in making theseadjustments.

Some examples of fans [105] and pumps [106] operating parameters [52]include the fan voltage [127], the fan current [128], the pump voltage[131], and the pump current [130]. In some embodiments, input air flow[119], for example, is controlled by changing a fan voltage [127]. Insome embodiments, input air flow [119], for example, is controlled bychanging a fan current [128]. In some embodiments, input fuel flow[117], for example, is controlled by changing a pump voltage [131]. Insome embodiments, input fuel flow [117], for example, is controlled bychanging a pump current [130]. In some embodiments, coolant flow [135],for example, is controlled by changing a pump current [130], a pumpvoltage [131], a fan current [128], a fan voltage [127], or anycombination of these.

Some example of electrical output [107] operating parameters [52]include the output current [132], the output voltage [133], the outputphase [141], and the waveform [140]. In some embodiments where theelectrical output [107] is either DC or AC, the output current [132]and/or the output voltage [133] are adjustable. In some embodimentswhere the electrical output [107] is AC, the output phase [141] and/orthe waveform [140] are adjustable, for example to match the phase of theelectrical grid [161]. The waveform [140] is comprised of frequency andshape, either or both of which are adjustable in some embodiments.

FIG. 7 shows an embodiment of an analog measurement [142] converted byan analog to digital converter [143] to a digital measurement [144]. Anexample, shown in FIG. 8, is a measurement of the intensity [109] ofelectromagnetic emissions [100] (intensity measurement [145]) from achemically heated hot emitter, which would typically be an analogcurrent measurement from a photocell. This analog measurement [142]would typically be converted to a digital measurement [144] by an analogto digital converter [143], the digital measurement [144] being anintermediate indicator [146] representing, related to, or derived fromthe chemically heated hot emitter electromagnetic emissions. Thisintermediate indicator [146] representing the chemically heated hotemitter electromagnetic emissions would typically be used by thecomputer system [2] for generator control [55], for example to matchgenerator power delivered [56] to local load demand [54], for billingpurposes, etc. Another intermediate indicator [146] representing thechemically heated hot emitter electromagnetic emissions is the generatorpower, the product of the output voltage [133], the output current[132], and the output power factor [134], since this intermediateindicator [146] represents a lower limit on the quantity of chemicallyheated hot emitter electromagnetic emissions. When used for billing orother such purposes, the intermediate indicator [146] representing thechemically heated hot emitter electromagnetic emissions would typicallybe processed [147] by a sending computer [148], the result being output[149] on an output device [5]. Some embodiments will have this output[149] transmitted to a computer system [2], which would process theintermediate indicator [147] and produce another output [150], as shownin FIG. 9. Any method of transmission is possible, ranging fromelectronic network transmission if the sending computer [148] is anetworked computer [8], to transmitted manually by reading the output[149] from the sending computer [148] and manually inputting it into thereceiving computer system [2].

FIG. 10 shows an embodiment where a control algorithm [151] is used toproduce a control signal [152] to change operating conditions [51]. Anoptional feedback [153] loop can be used by the control algorithm [151]to ensure that the changes in the operating conditions [51] produced bythe control signal [152] are within tolerances by further adjusting thecontrol signal [152] based upon the measured operating conditions [51].Some embodiments collect operating conditions history [154]. Thecomputer system [2] processes this history [155] in various ways,depending on the embodiment. For example, the operating conditionshistory [154] can be processed to produce output from history [156]. Oneembodiment of this output from history [156] is a billing record for aquantity of chemically heated hot emitter emissions. In this embodimentthe output from history [156] is an embodiment of an output [149].Another embodiment is to process this history [155] to modify thecontrol algorithm [157]. This modified control algorithm would replacethe control algorithm [151] so as to change the operating conditions[51]. This change could be a change in a single parameter in the controlalgorithm [151], or in another embodiment, there is a change in thecontrol algorithm [151] structure.

FIG. 11 shows an embodiment in which the control algorithm [151] uses aload indication [158] to compute operating parameter(s) [159] andproduce a control signal [152] to change the operating conditions [51]so as to meet at least some of the load demand. One embodiment of thisfor a chemically heated hot emitter generator is to use a measurement ofthe output voltage [133] as a load indication [158]: a drop in outputvoltage [133] is an indication of additional demand, so the controlalgorithm [151] would produce a control signal [152] to increase the hotemitter emissions until the output voltage [133] reached a levelindicating that the demand was being met. Monitoring the output voltage[133] in this manner is an embodiment of a feedback [153] loop.

A distributed chemically heated hot emitter power generation systemembodiment implemented to power buildings is disclosed in the embodimentshown in FIG. 12. Each chemically heated hot emitter generator device[11] does not need to be able to provide the peak power demand of theload [160] (building or neighborhood) where the device [11] is located.A plurality of chemically heated hot emitter generators [11] can operateas a unit, as disclosed in US patent application Ser. No. 13/595,062,which is incorporated by reference as if fully restated herein. Eachsending computer [148] system can receive local load demand [54]information and send control signals [152] to generator control [55](throttle) the local chemically heated hot emitter generator(s) [11].When the capacity of this(these) local chemically heated hot emittergenerator(s) [11] is(are) exceeded, the sending computer [148] can sendcommunications [162] to neighboring sending computer [148] systems,which in turn can send control signals [152] to generator control [55](throttle up) their respective additional chemically heated hot emittergenerators on the same power network [161] to meet this peak loaddemand. With this embodiment there may be no need for a central powerplant connected to the same power grid [161], though the grid can, if sodesired, be interconnected as a backup.

FIG. 13 shows an embodiment of a comparison algorithm [165] run on acomputer system [2] to determine whether the operating conditions [51]is within normal operating conditions [163] or if they indicate a knownfailure mode [164]. When the operating conditions [51] are not withinnormal operating conditions [163], an out-of-range indicator [166] isproduced. Depending upon the embodiment, non-limiting examples of thisout-of-range indicator(s) [166] include an indicator light, acommunication [162], for example to a receiving computer system [2] togenerate a maintenance request, etc. Similarly, if a known failure mode[164] is detected, a failure indicator [167] is generated. Dependingupon the embodiment, non-limiting examples of this failure indicator[167] include an indicator light, a communication [162], for example toa receiving computer system [2] to generate a maintenance request, etc.An example of an embodiment of the comparison algorithm [165] is aneural net algorithm that uses correlations between various operatingconditions [51] to flag specific known failure modes [164]. For example,under normal operating conditions [163], a given range of fan current[128] will correspond to a specific range of fan speed [126] and inputair flow [119]. An input air flow [119] below this range would be anindication of a blockage. Likewise, a given input air flow [119] andinput fuel flow [117] would correspond to a range of emitter temperature[111] under normal operating conditions [163], and a deviation would bean indication of a known failure mode [164]. In some embodiments thenormal operating conditions [163] would be determined by the operatingconditions history [154] of the same device [11], while in otherembodiments the normal operating conditions [163] would be determined bythe operating conditions history [154] of one or more similar devices[11]. Some fault conditions will be signaled by deviations of a singleoperating condition [51], while other fault conditions will be signaledby subtle correlations between different operating conditions [51]. Theembodiment of the comparison algorithm [165] to create an out-of-rangeindicator [166] and/or a failure indicator [167] for the case where thefault is indicated by a single operating condition [51] can be aconditional statement, while the embodiment of the comparison algorithm[165] to create an out-of-range indicator [166] and/or a failureindicator [167] for the case where the fault is indicated by a subtlecorrelation between two or more operating conditions [51] can be aneural net or similar algorithm trained on operating conditions history[154] where the fault has previously occurred.

Depending upon the embodiment, when an out-of-range indicator [166]and/or a failure indicator [167] are produced, the control algorithm[151] may compute operating parameter(s) [159] and output a controlsignal [152] to adjust the operating conditions [51]. For example, thecontrol algorithm [151] may try to bring the operating conditions [51]back into normal operating conditions [163]. For some known failuremodes [164] the control algorithm [151] may turn off the device [11].Under normal operating conditions [163], the control algorithm [151] maytry to maximize success [168]. Non-limiting examples of success realmsinclude maximizing efficiency, minimizing the need for maintenance,minimizing operating cost [175], minimizing deviations from nominalvoltage, minimizing noise generation, minimizing response time forchanging output power, minimizing grid [161] current in load-sharingsituations, and maximizing fault tolerance.

FIG. 14 shows an embodiment of the means for receiving generatorfinancial data [58] and processing these data to produce one or morefinancial terms generator financial term [59]. Exemplary datarepresenting the chemically heated hot emitter generator ofelectromagnetic emissions can be a general product identifier, modelnumber, code, or the like. The at least one other chemically heated hotemitter generator can be a particular one or ones of that productidentifier, model number, code, or the like. For example, particularchemically heated hot emitter generators can be identified by aparticular serial number or the like. In some, but not all embodiments,there can be a means configured to use the data representing thechemically heated hot emitter generator of electromagnetic emissions,related to an intermediate indicator of detected chemically heated hotemitter electromagnetic emissions, in producing output which isassociated with at least one other chemically heated hot emittergenerator of electromagnetic emissions having conformity with, but notoperationally integrated in a unit comprising, said hot emittergenerator of electromagnetic emissions, to operate said at least oneother chemically heated hot emitter generator.

In some embodiments operating conditions history [154] is also processedto produce these generator financial terms [59]. In some embodimentssome of the generator financial data [58] represent one or morechemically heated hot emitter generators, such as generator costs [169],examples of which include acquisition cost [173], installation cost[174], operating cost [175], and maintenance cost [176]. In someembodiments the generator financial data [58] is comprised of a rate ofreturn [170], such as a leasing rate of return [177] and/or a sales rateof return [178]. In some embodiments the generator financial data [58]is comprised of a market value [171], such as a generator value [179]and/or a power value [180]. In some embodiments the generator financialdata [58] is comprised of other financial data [172], such as aninterest rate [181], a depreciation rate [182], and/or a tax rate [183].

In some embodiments the generator financial term [59] produced byprocessing these generator financial data [58] is comprised of a saleprice [184]. In some embodiments the sale price [184] is comprised of adown payment [185], a payment interval [186], and/or a payment size[187]. In some embodiments the generator financial term [59] iscomprised of a maintenance price [188]. In some embodiments thegenerator financial term [59] is comprised of a lease rate [189].

FIG. 15 shows an embodiment of some of the costs and payments [193] auser or customer [192] could make. The acquisition cost [173] is thecost to produce or purchase the device [11], depending upon theembodiment. The installation cost [174] is the cost to install thedevice [11], which, depending upon the embodiment, includes such costsas the cost to install electrical infrastructure, fuel infrastructure,architectural design, transportation, etc. The maintenance cost [176] isthe cost to maintain the device [11], which, depending upon theembodiment, includes such costs as the cost to replace parts that wearout, the cost to clean or replace parts that get dirty or clogged suchas filters, the cost of making repairs, etc. The operating cost [175] isthe cost to operate the device [11], which, depending upon theembodiment, includes such costs as the cost of fuel, the cost ofmonitoring the device [11], the labor cost of operators, etc. It ispossible for some costs, such as the cost of making adjustments tooperating parameters, to be classified in multiple categories such asoperating cost [175] and maintenance cost [176]. In some embodiments,there will be a leasing cost [190] paid with periodic payments [193] bythe user or customer [192] to a leasing Company. In some embodiments,there will be a power cost [191], based upon power usage, paid withperiodic payments [193] by the user or customer [192], to a leasingCompany. In some embodiments (not shown), there will be a power cost[191], based upon power usage, paid with periodic payments [193] to theuser or customer [192], to a Company, or both, for excess power suppliedto the grid [161].

The operation of a device [11] requires that all of these costs arecovered, either directly by the customer, or by a Company, dependingupon the embodiment. Here the Company is one or more companies thatsell, lease, install, operate, and/or maintain the device [11].Depending upon the embodiment, the user or customer [192] performs someof the functions associated with these costs while one or more Companiesperform the other functions, or in some embodiments one or more of thefunctions and the associated costs are split between the user orcustomer [192] and one or more Companies. Some embodiments showing howthe costs could be split between the user or customer [192] and one ormore Companies are shown in table 0.1 and table 0.2. In the embodimentnumbered 1, the cost the user or customer [192] pays is for the powercost [191] for the power used. In the embodiment numbered 3, the costthe user or customer [192] pays is the leasing cost [190]. Thisembodiment might be used in a situation where the device [11] operatesat or near full power all the time. In the embodiment numbered 39, theuser or customer [192] pays for the device [11] and all other costs, sothis corresponds to an outright sale where the user or customer [192] isresponsible for all costs. Additional embodiments (not shown) have anyor all of the costs shared between the user or customer [192] and one ormore Companies. Additional embodiments (not shown) have one or moreCompanies and/or one or more additional power customers pay power cost[191] to the user or customer [192] for power generated by the device[11] and delivered, for example, by a grid [161].

In sum, with respect to the description herein, numerous specificdetails are

TABLE 0.1 Embodiments Device Installation Operating Maintenance PowerLease [11] [174] [175] [176] [191] [190] 1 Company Company CompanyCompany Customer no 2 Company Company Company Company Customer yes 3Company Company Company Company yes 4 Company Company Company CustomerCustomer no 5 Company Company Company Customer Customer yes 6 CompanyCompany Company Customer yes 7 Company Company Customer Company yes 8Company Company Customer Company Customer yes 9 Company Company CustomerCompany Customer no 10 Company Company Customer Customer Customer no 11Company Company Customer Customer Customer yes 12 Company CompanyCustomer Customer yes 13 Company Customer Customer Customer yes 14Company Customer Customer Customer Customer yes 15 Company CustomerCustomer Customer Customer no 16 Company Customer Customer CompanyCustomer no 17 Company Customer Customer Company Customer yes 18 CompanyCustomer Customer Company yes 19 Company Customer Company Customer yes20 Company Customer Company Customer Customer yes 21 Company CustomerCompany Customer Customer no 22 Company Customer Company CompanyCustomer no 23 Company Customer Company Company Customer yes 24 CompanyCustomer Company Company yesprovided, such as examples of components and/or methods, to provide athorough teaching and understanding of embodiments of the presentinvention. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, thatan embodiment can be practiced without one or more of the specificdetails, or with other apparatus, systems, assemblies, methods,components, materials, parts, and/or the like. In other instances,well-known structures, materials, or operations are not specificallyshown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of embodimentsof the present invention.

Embodiments can be implemented in the form of control logic in softwareor

TABLE 0.2 More embodiments. Device Installation Operating MaintenancePower Lease [11] [174] [175] [176] [191] [190] 25 Customer CompanyCompany Company yes 26 Customer Company Company Company Customer yes 27Customer Company Company Company Customer no 28 Customer Company CompanyCustomer Customer no 29 Customer Company Company Customer Customer yes30 Customer Company Company Customer yes 31 Customer Company CustomerCompany yes 32 Customer Company Customer Company Customer yes 33Customer Company Customer Company Customer no 34 Customer CompanyCustomer Customer Customer no 35 Customer Company Customer CustomerCustomer yes 36 Customer Company Customer Customer yes 37 CustomerCustomer Customer Customer yes 38 Customer Customer Customer CustomerCustomer yes 39 Customer Customer Customer Customer Customer no 40Customer Customer Customer Company Customer no 41 Customer CustomerCustomer Company Customer yes 42 Customer Customer Customer Company yes43 Customer Customer Company Customer yes 44 Customer Customer CompanyCustomer Customer yes 45 Customer Customer Company Customer Customer no46 Customer Customer Company Company Customer no 47 Customer CustomerCompany Company Customer yes 48 Customer Customer Company Company yeshardware or a combination of both. The control logic may be stored in aninformation storage medium, such as a computer-readable medium, e.g., anon-transient medium, as a plurality of instructions adapted to directan information processing device to perform a set of steps oroperations. Based on the disclosure and teachings provided herein, aperson of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate other ways and/ormethods to implement an equivalent.

A “processor” or “process” includes any hardware and/or software system,mechanism or component that processes data, signals or otherinformation. A processor can include a system with a general-purposecentral processing unit, multiple processing units, dedicated circuitryfor achieving functionality, or other systems. Processing need not belimited to a geographic location, or have temporal limitations. Forexample, a processor can perform its functions in “real time,”“offline,” in a “batch mode,” etc. Portions of processing can beperformed at different times and at different locations, by different(or the same) processing systems.

Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment”, “anembodiment”, or “a specific embodiment” means that a particular feature,structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodimentis included in at least one embodiment and not necessarily in allembodiments. Thus, respective appearances of the phrases “in oneembodiment”, “in an embodiment”, or “in a specific embodiment” invarious places throughout this specification are not necessarilyreferring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features,structures, or characteristics of any specific embodiment may becombined in any suitable manner with one or more other embodiments. Itis to be understood that other variations and modifications of theembodiments described and illustrated herein are possible in light ofthe teachings herein and are to be considered as part of the spirit andscope of the present invention.

Embodiments may be implemented by using a programmed general purposedigital computer, by using application specific integrated circuits,programmable logic devices, field programmable gate arrays, optical,chemical, biological, quantum or nanoengineered systems, components andmechanisms may be used. In general, the functions of embodiments of thepresent invention can be achieved by any means as is known in the art.Further, distributed, or networked systems, components, and/or circuitscan be used. Communication, or transfer, of data may be wired, wireless,or by any other means.

It will also be appreciated that one or more of the elements depicted inthe drawings/figures can also be implemented in a more separated orintegrated manner, or even removed or rendered as inoperable in certaincases, as is useful in accordance with a particular application. It isalso within the spirit and scope of the disclosure herein to implement aprogram or code that can be stored in a machine-readable medium topermit a computer to perform any of the methods described above.

Additionally, any signal arrows in the drawings/Figures should beconsidered only as exemplary, and not limiting, unless otherwisespecifically noted. Furthermore, the term “or” as used herein isgenerally intended to mean “and/or” unless otherwise indicated.Combinations of components or steps will also be considered as beingnoted, where terminology is foreseen as rendering the ability toseparate or combine is unclear.

As used in the description herein and throughout the claims that follow,“a”, “an”, and “the” includes plural references unless the contextclearly dictates otherwise. Also, as used in the description herein andthroughout the claims that follow, the meaning of “in” includes “in” and“on” unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

The foregoing description of illustrated embodiments, including what isdescribed in the Abstract and the Summary, are not intended to beexhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosedherein. While specific embodiments of, and examples for, the inventionare described herein for teaching-by-illustration purposes only, variousequivalent modifications are possible within the spirit and scope of thepresent invention, as those skilled in the relevant art will recognizeand appreciate. As indicated, these modifications may be made in lightof the foregoing description of illustrated embodiments and are to beincluded within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

Note that the preceding is a prophetic teaching and although only a fewexemplary embodiments have been described in detail herein, thoseskilled in the art will readily appreciate that many modifications arepossible in the exemplary embodiments without materially departing fromthe novel teachings and advantages herein. Please understand thatfeatures illustrated in the Figures are often interwoven rather thanintegral and sequential, as in sub-steps. Accordingly, all suchmodifications are intended to be included within the scope herein.Means-plus-function language is intended to cover the structuresdescribed herein as performing the recited function and not onlystructural equivalents, but also equivalent structures. Thus, although anail and a screw may not be structural equivalents in that a nailemploys a cylindrical surface to secure wooden parts together, whereas ascrew employs a helical surface, in the environment fastening woodenparts, a nail and a screw may be equivalent structures.

It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, among those madeapparent from the preceding description, are efficiently attained and,because certain changes may be made in carrying out the above method andin the construction(s) set forth without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in theabove description and shown in the accompanying drawings shall beinterpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended tocover all of the generic and specific features of the invention hereindescribed and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as amatter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

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 15. (canceled)16. A machine configured to process chemically heated hot emittergenerator data so as to produce output, the machine comprising: ananalog detector arranged to produce intensity measurements ofelectromagnetic emissions of a chemically heated hot emitter which areless than or equal to full intensity of said emissions; ananalog-to-digital converter arranged to receive and then convert thedetected intensity measurements from an analog form to a digital form; adigital computer arranged to the receive the digital, detected intensitymeasurements and configured to transform the digital, detected intensitymeasurements to produce therefrom an output intermediate indicator ofthe chemically heated hot emitter electromagnetic emissions; and anotherdigital computer which receives the output intermediate indicator of thechemically heated hot emitter electromagnetic emissions and processesthe intermediate indicator and data into a billing record correspondingto an amount of the chemically heated hot emitter electromagneticemissions; and an output device which outputs the billing record.
 17. Amachine configured to process chemically heated hot emitter generatordata so as to produce output, the machine comprising: a computing systemincluding a digital computer comprising memory storing executableinstructions which when executed, enable the machine to perform theoperations of: receiving digital data representing a chemically heatedhot emitter generator of electromagnetic emissions and financial datawhich corresponds to the data representing the hot emitter generator,and then processing, using said data, in producing a financial termassociated with at least one of a plurality of chemically heated hotemitter generators having conformity with said chemically heated hotemitter generator, and then producing, at an output device, outputincluding the financial term associated with said at least one of aplurality of chemically heated hot emitter generators of electromagneticemissions.
 18. The machine of claim 17, wherein the computing systemcomprises: an analog detector arranged to produce intensity measurementsof chemically heated hot emitter electromagnetic emissions which areless than or equal to full intensity of said emissions; ananalog-to-digital converter arranged to receive and then convert thedetected intensity measurements from an analog form to a digital form; adigital computer arranged to the receive the digital, detected intensitymeasurements and configured to transform the digital, detected intensitymeasurements to produce therefrom an intermediate indicator of thechemically heated hot emitter electromagnetic emissions.
 19. The machineof claim 17, wherein the digital data representing the chemically heatedhot emitter generator of electromagnetic emissions comprises a hotemitter generator efficiency indicator, a hot emitter generatorgenerating capacity indicator, or both.
 20. The machine of claim 17,wherein the financial data comprises a rate of return for leasing achemically heated hot emitter generator, a rate of return for selling achemically heated hot emitter generator, or both.
 21. The machine ofclaim 17, wherein the financial term comprises a chemically heated hotemitter generator lease rate.
 22. The machine of claim 17, wherein thefinancial term comprises a chemically heated hot emitter generator saleprice.
 23. The machine of claim 17, wherein the financial term comprisesa billing record based upon a chemically heated hot emitter generatorlease rate and/or sale price.
 24. The machine of claim 17, wherein thedigital data representing the chemically heated hot emitter generator ofelectromagnetic emissions comprises both a chemically heated hot emittergenerator usage record and a chemically heated hot emitter generatorlease rate, and the output includes a billing record based upon thechemically heated hot emitter generator lease rate and the usage record.25. A machine configured to process chemically heated hot emittergenerator data so as to produce output, the machine comprising: acomputing system comprising a first digital computer, arranged toreceive an intermediate indicator of chemically heated hot emitterelectromagnetic emissions output by a second digital computer, theintermediate indicator being a transformation of digitalized, by ananalog-to-digital converter, intensity measurements detected fromelectromagnetic emissions of a chemically heated hot emitter and whichare less than or equal to full intensity of said emissions, and thenprocess the intermediate indicator so as to produce, at an outputdevice, a billing record corresponding to an amount of the chemicallyheated hot emitter electromagnetic emissions.
 26. A machine configuredto process chemically heated hot emitter generator data so as to produceoutput, the machine comprising: a receiving computer, operablyassociated with an input device and an output device, which receives anintermediate indicator of chemically heated hot emitter electromagneticemissions from a sending computer, the sending computer operablyassociated with a second input device and a second output device,wherein: the sending computer is configured to carry out operationsincluding: receiving, at the second input device, digital, detectedintensity measurements from an analog-to-digital converter whichconverts intensity measurements from an analog detector of chemicallyheated hot emitter electromagnetic emissions which are less than orequal to full intensity of said emissions; and then transforming thedetected intensity measurements in producing therefrom an intermediateindicator of the chemically heated hot emitter electromagneticemissions; and then outputting, at the second output device, theintermediate indicator of the chemically heated hot emitterelectromagnetic emissions; and wherein the receiving digital computer isconfigured to carry out other operations including: receiving datacomprising the intermediate indicator of the chemically heated hotemitter electromagnetic emissions that is output by the sendingcomputer; and processing, using the intermediate indicator of thechemically heated hot emitter electromagnetic emissions, so as to outputa billing record corresponding to an amount of the chemically heated hotemitter electromagnetic emissions.
 27. The machine of claim 26, whereinthe receiving computer is further configured to: communicate with atleast one other sending computer, each said at least one other sendingcomputer operably associated with a respective input device and arespective output device, and configured to carry out operationsincluding: receiving, at said respective input device, respectivedigital, detected intensity measurements from a respectiveanalog-to-digital converter which converts respective detected intensitymeasurements from respective chemically heated hot emitterelectromagnetic emissions which are less than or equal to full intensityof said emissions; and then transforming the respective detectedintensity measurements to produce therefrom a respective intermediateindicator of the respective chemically heated hot emitterelectromagnetic emissions; and then outputting the respectiveintermediate indicator of the chemically heated hot emitterelectromagnetic emissions to the receiving computer, which thenprocesses the respective intermediate indicator of the respectivechemically heated hot emitter electromagnetic emissions so as toproduce, at the output device of the first digital computer, arespective billing record corresponding to a respective amount of therespective chemically heated hot emitter electromagnetic emissions. 28.The machine of claim 16, wherein one or more computers are configured tocarry out the operations of: receiving an indication of an electricpower load demand; computing, from said load demand, at least oneoperating parameter for a chemically heated hot emitter to changeintensity of said emissions, such that electric power generated fromsaid emissions meets at least some of the said demand; and producingoutput comprising at least one control instruction to configureoperation of the chemically heated hot emitter with said at least oneoperating parameter.
 29. The machine of claim 28, wherein each saidsending computer is configured to carry out the operations of: sending acommunication to at least one said sending computer, responsive to adetected indication of electrical power load demand exceeding electricalpower being generated from the electromagnetic emissions of thechemically heated hot emitter associated with the sending computer thatis sending the communication, said communication comprising anindication of unmet electrical power load demand; and computing, by eachsaid sending computer that receives the communication, from said unmetelectrical load demand, at least one operating parameter for thechemically heated hot emitter associated therewith to change acorresponding intensity of emissions, such that electric power generatedfrom said emissions of the chemically heated hot emitter associatedtherewith meets some or all of the unmet electrical load demand; andproducing, by each said sending computer that receives thecommunication, output comprising at least one control instruction toconfigure the associated respective chemically heated hot emitter withsaid at least one operating parameter; wherein the electrical outputs ofthe generators generating electrical power from the respective emissionsof the respective chemically heated hot emitters associated with saidsending computers being connected to a common electrical grid. 30.(canceled)
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 91. The machine of claim 25, wherein oneor more computers are configured to carry out the operations of:receiving an indication of an electric power load demand; computing,from said load demand, at least one operating parameter for a chemicallyheated hot emitter to change intensity of said emissions, such thatelectric power generated from said emissions meets at least some of thesaid demand; and producing output comprising at least one controlinstruction to configure operation of the chemically heated hot emitterwith said at least one operating parameter.
 92. The machine of claim 26,wherein one or more computers are configured to carry out the operationsof: receiving an indication of an electric power load demand; computing,from said load demand, at least one operating parameter for a chemicallyheated hot emitter to change intensity of said emissions, such thatelectric power generated from said emissions meets at least some of thesaid demand; and producing output comprising at least one controlinstruction to configure operation of the chemically heated hot emitterwith said at least one operating parameter.
 93. The machine of claim 27,wherein one or more computers are configured to carry out the operationsof: receiving an indication of an electric power load demand; computing,from said load demand, at least one operating parameter for a chemicallyheated hot emitter to change intensity of said emissions, such thatelectric power generated from said emissions meets at least some of thesaid demand; and producing output comprising at least one controlinstruction to configure operation of the chemically heated hot emitterwith said at least one operating parameter.
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